ADVOCATING FOR THE INDUSTRY


AGC OPPOSES public policy that arbitrarily sets aside land that otherwise could aid in the development of California’s infrastructure needs.


What to Expect in the 2022 Legislative Session?


BY FELIPE FUENTES T


he Legislature reconvened January 3, 2022 to begin the second year of the 2021-22 legislative session. It


has until February 18th to introduce new bills for consideration in 2022. Those bills that did not advance in 2021, known as “two-year bills,” have until January 31st to move out of their house of origin. With the global pandemic stifling


the Legislature’s ability to hold its usual amount of committee hearings, fewer bills advanced through the bill process in 2021. Te 2022 session will likely be again hamstrung by the nagging COVID protocols and uncertainty brought on by the Omicron variant. Additionally, the logistics of the leg-


islative process will undoubtedly be complicated by the reconstruction of the unrestored side of the State Capitol. With the Governor and Legislature relocating to new office spaces for the next several years, the first year of this move will cer- tainly disorder office visits, committee


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CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022


hearings and legislative advocacy. As for unfinished business, the Leg-


islature deferred action on an unusually large number of measures because of the limitations set by COVID protocols. Of those two-year bills, there are several priorities bills that AGC remains in op- position to, as outlined below.


• AB 310 (Lee D) Wealth Tax. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, impose an annual tax at a rate of 1% of a resident of this state whose worldwide net worth is in excess of $50 million, or in excess of $25 million in the case of a married taxpayer filing separately. Te bill would also impose an additional tax at a rate of 0.5% of a resident’s worldwide net worth more than $1 billion or in excess of $500 million in the case of a married taxpayer filing separately. While this law may not likely affect AGC members today, AGC is opposed to


any tax policy that arbitrarily targets high income businesses or earners.


• AB 564 (Gonzalez D) Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Act. This bill would establish that it is the pol- icy of the state that all state agencies, boards, and commissions shall utilize their authorities in furtherance of the biodiversity conservation purposes and goals of the Governor’s executive orders. The bill would require all state agencies, boards, and commissions to consider and prioritize the protection of biodiversity in carrying out their statutory mandates. It would require strategies related to the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030 to be made available to the public and pro- vided to the Legislature by no later than June 30, 2022. AGC opposes public policy that arbi- trarily sets aside land that otherwise could


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